THE IMPORTANCE OF PLAY FOR YOUR DOG

Those of us who have kids know that it is important to give our children time to play and explore and what happens if they don’t get that time. This is the same for our furry friends. It may be hard to keep up with a job, family life and personal time but we need to make sure to put in time with our dogs. That’s why many areas now have nice walking paths or dog parks for us to easily access because it is imperative to get that play time in. Here are a few reasons why.

Exercise – Just like us humans, dogs need their exercise as well. Sure a dog may choose to sit around until you get home but dogs want to spend time with their owners so they become lethargic until we arrive. Ignoring them and letting them nap all day won’t let them burn energy and won’t let them burn calories. That is why we need to take time out of the day to just play with them or walk them so they can get their exercise in for the day. This will help keep their joints and muscles healthy and allow them to have a healthy appetite.

Mental stimulation – When our children play they are also learning at the same time. The same goes for dogs. Playtime gives them not only something that is physically challenging but that is also mentally challenging. You can play games with them that can challenge their wit and keep them thinking. Dogs get bored too so playing different games with them will keep them guessing and make them ultimately happy.

Behavior – A regular playtime will allow our dogs to be better behaved. When your dog is laying around and bored they will be more likely to get into mischief. This is their way of burning through some of their pent up energy that they aren’t using. Your dog will be far more calm and well behaved if he/she is using that energy for playtime. A dog that plays is a dog that is happy.

Try to schedule at least 20 minutes with your dog a day. Whether it be going for a walk, playing fetch or going to your local dog park, a dog will look forward to what ever you decide to do. You can also try to switch it up too! Pick out different toys to play with, go to different dog parks or find a different trail to walk on. This is just one small thing we can do to add to the special bond we have with our furry friends.